Have you ever found yourself questioning things in life you don’t understand, seeking answers to the unanswerable?
In Job 38, we witness a profound moment as God breaks His silence to respond to Job’s inquiries, offering insights that transcend human understanding and humbly remind us of the folly of human wisdom compared to the infinite understanding of our Creator.
Reconnect: Before delving into Job 38, it’s crucial to remember the context of the dialogue between Job and his friends. After enduring suffering and grappling with profound questions of justice and righteousness, Job has voiced his frustrations and yearned for answers. Now, as God Himself speaks, we are invited to witness the divine response to Job’s inquiries.
(Summarized and continued after scripture)
God Speaks Now to Job
1Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind and said,
2“Who is this that darkens counsel
By words without knowledge?
3“Now gird up your loins like a man,
And I will ask you, and you instruct Me!
4“Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?
Tell Me, if you have understanding,
5Who set its measurements? Since you know.
Or who stretched the line on it?
6“On what were its bases sunk?
Or who laid its cornerstone,
7When the morning stars sang together
And all the sons of God shouted for joy?
8“Or who enclosed the sea with doors
When, bursting forth, it went out from the womb;
9When I made a cloud its garment
And thick darkness its swaddling band,
10And I placed boundaries on it
And set a bolt and doors,
11And I said, ‘Thus far you shall come, but no farther;
And here shall your proud waves stop’?
God’s Mighty Power
12“Have you ever in your life commanded the morning,
And caused the dawn to know its place,
13That it might take hold of the ends of the earth,
And the wicked be shaken out of it?
14“It is changed like clay under the seal;
And they stand forth like a garment.
15“From the wicked their light is withheld,
And the uplifted arm is broken.
16“Have you entered into the springs of the sea
Or walked in the recesses of the deep?
17“Have the gates of death been revealed to you,
Or have you seen the gates of deep darkness?
18“Have you understood the expanse of the earth?
Tell Me, if you know all this.
19“Where is the way to the dwelling of light?
And darkness, where is its place,
20That you may take it to its territory
And that you may discern the paths to its home?
21“You know, for you were born then,
And the number of your days is great!
22“Have you entered the storehouses of the snow,
Or have you seen the storehouses of the hail,
23Which I have reserved for the time of distress,
For the day of war and battle?
24“Where is the way that the light is divided,
Or the east wind scattered on the earth?
25“Who has cleft a channel for the flood,
Or a way for the thunderbolt,
26To bring rain on a land without people,
On a desert without a man in it,
27To satisfy the waste and desolate land
And to make the seeds of grass to sprout?
28“Has the rain a father?
Or who has begotten the drops of dew?
29“From whose womb has come the ice?
And the frost of heaven, who has given it birth?
30“Water becomes hard like stone,
And the surface of the deep is imprisoned.
31“Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades,
Or loose the cords of Orion?
32“Can you lead forth a constellation in its season,
And guide the Bear with her satellites?
33“Do you know the ordinances of the heavens,
Or fix their rule over the earth?
34“Can you lift up your voice to the clouds,
So that an abundance of water will cover you?
35“Can you send forth lightnings that they may go
And say to you, ‘Here we are’?
36“Who has put wisdom in the innermost being
Or given understanding to the mind?
37“Who can count the clouds by wisdom,
Or tip the water jars of the heavens,
38When the dust hardens into a mass
And the clods stick together?
39“Can you hunt the prey for the lion,
Or satisfy the appetite of the young lions,
40When they crouch in their dens
And lie in wait in their lair?
41“Who prepares for the raven its nourishment
When its young cry to God
And wander about without food?
Summary Key Points:
1. The Majesty of Creation: God’s response to Job begins with a series of questions that highlight the majesty and intricacy of creation. From the foundations of the earth to the vastness of the cosmos, God’s sovereign power and wisdom are on full display, challenging Job to contemplate the wonders of His handiwork.
2. Humility Before the Creator: As God continues His discourse, He calls attention to the limitations of human understanding and the folly of trying to comprehend His ways. Job is reminded of his finite perspective compared to God’s infinite wisdom, prompting a humbling acknowledgment of the Creator’s sovereignty.
3. Trusting in Divine Providence: Through His response, God invites Job to trust in His providence and sovereignty, even in the face of life’s uncertainties and hardships. While human understanding may be limited, God’s purposes are ultimately just and righteous, calling for a posture of trust and surrender.
Call to Action:
- Embracing Humility: Let us embrace humility in our quest for understanding, recognizing the limitations of human wisdom and the vastness of God’s knowledge. May we approach life’s mysteries with reverence and awe, trusting in the wisdom of the Creator.
Closing Prayer:
Heavenly Father, as we ponder the mysteries of Your creation and the depths of Your wisdom, grant us humility and reverence. Help us to trust in Your providence, even when we cannot comprehend Your ways. May Your presence guide us through life’s uncertainties, and may we find peace in surrendering to Your will. Amen.
May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you.
John Golda
Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.